Pedal-action for pianos.



No. 775,162. PATENTED NOVr15, 1904.

R. S. BOWEN.

PEDAL ACTION FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PAT NT Trier).

ROBERTS. BOWVEN, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO OHIOKERING &SONS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PEDAL-ACTION FOB PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,162, dated November15, 1904.

' Application filed July 28, 1904. Serial No. 217,805. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. BOWEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pedal-ActionsforPianos, of which the following isaspecificati'on, reference being badtherein to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a partly sectional front view of portionsof a piano having an embodiment of the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2is a View in vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows at the ends of such line. Fig. 8 showsthe parts of Figs. 1 and 2 in plan. Fig. 4 shows a pedal in plandetached.

Having reference to the drawings, one of the pedals of a piano isrepresented at 1, it being pivoted at 2 at an intermediate point in itslength upon suitable supporting-blocks, which are indicated at 3 3. Therear extremity of the pedal is notched, as at 4, and within the notch isreceived the stem of a stopscrew 5, projecting from the bottom board 6of the piano-case. The projecting flange of the head 7 of the saidstop-screw serves by its action in connection with the top of the saidextremity of the pedal to limit the extent of the movement which iscommunicated to the pedal by pressure upon the pedal-foot 8. Asound-deadening washer 9 is fitted upon the stem of the stop-screwbeneath the head 7. Portion of the key-bottom of a piano is indicated at10, and at 11 is shown portion of one of the rods or dowels foroperating the dampers or soft stop or other mechanism of the piano. Asthus far referred to, the parts are old and well known and may be ofusual character and construction.

For the purpose of transmitting movement from the pedal 1, which islocated at the middle of the length of the front of the piano, to a rodor dowel 11, which is located at or adjacent one end of the piano, Idispense with the lever-pivoted beam, rock-shaft, or other device whichheretofore has been employed, and I use instead a bodily-movable orfloat-ing transmitting-bar 12. The lowerend of the said transmitting-baris engaged with the rear extremity of the pedal, and its upper end isengaged with the rod or dowel 11, that is operated therefrom. In thepresent instance the lower end of the transmitting-bar is engaged withthe rear extremity of the pedal by making contact with the upper surfaceof the said extremity and resting thereupon, as shown, and the upper endof the transmitting-bar is engaged with the lower end of the rod ordowel 11 by projecting beneath thesaid lower end and supporting the saidrod or dowel. The transmitting-bar is inclined upwardly and in thepresent instance rearwardly also from the pedal to the rod'or dowel 11.It is retained in working position and guided in its movements by meansof a swinging link 13 at its lower end and a similar link 14 at itsupper end. One end of the link 18 is attached by a screw 15 to the lowerend of the thrustrod, while the other end thereof is attached by screws16 16 to a block 17 which is secured upon the bottom board 6. One end ofthe link 14 is attached by a screw 18 to the upper end of thetransmitting-ba1y while the other end thereof is attached by screws 1919 to a block 20, that is secured to the under side of the key-bottom10. The links 13 14 act as radius-links and control the transmitting-barwhen the latter is actuated by movement communicated to the pedal, sothat its lower end shall remain in working relations with the rearextremity of the pedal and its upper end shall remain in workingrelations with the rod or dowel 11 and so, also, that the direction ofthe movement transmited to the rod or dowel shall be parallel with thatof the pedal. The links 13 and 14 act with elastic force with a tendencyto depress the transmitting-bar, thereby producing the requisitetension. To this end they are spring-actuated, being preferablyconstituted of steelsprings, which simplifies the construction andrenders the employment of other springs unnecessary, although it is notnecessary in all cases that the tension should be seen red by resiliencyinherent in the links themselves.

I claim as my invention 1. In a pedal-action, the combination with apedal and a damper-actuating or the like connection located out of linewith each other, of a bodily-movable transmitting-bar intermediate thesaid pedal and connection, and means to control the saidtransmitting-bar in its movements.

2. In a pedal-action, the combination with a pedal and adamper-actuating or the like connection located out of line with eachother, of a bodily-movable transmitting-bar occupying an inclinedposition with its lower end in operative engagement with the pedal andits upper end in operative control of the said connection, and means toguide the said transmitting-bar in its movements.

3. In a pedal-action, the combination with a pedal and adamper-actuating or the like connection located out of line with eachother, of a transmitting-bar, and links controlling the saidtransmitting-bar inits movements derived from the pedal.

4:. In a pedal-action, the combination with a pedal and adamper-actuating or the like connection located out of line with eachother, of a bodily-movable transmitting-bar extending at an inclinationbetween the said pedal and the said connection, and spring-actuated toproduce the requisite tension.

5. In a pedal-action, the combination with a pedal and adamper-actuating or the like connection located out of line with eachother, of a transmitting-bar intermediate the said pedal and saidconnection, and upper and lower radius-links controlling the saidtransmittingbar in its movements.

6. In a pedal-action, the combination with a pedal and adamper-actuating or the like connection located out of line with eachother, of a transmitting-bar intermediate the said pedal and saidconnection, and spring-actuated radius-links controlling the saidtransmittingbar in its movements.

7. In a pedal-action, the combination with a pedal and adamper-actuating or the like connection located out of line with eachother, of a transmitting-bar intermediate the said pedal and saidconnection, and the spring radius-links by which the saidtransmittingbar is controlled in its movements.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT S. BOI/VEN. l/Vitnesses:

UHAs. F. RANDALL, EDITH J. ANDnRsoN.

